How the Boy Scouts Failed to Stop a Pedophile

In a story that’s horribly reminiscent of the Catholic church’s handling— or not handling— of accusations of sex abuse by priests, the Los Angeles Times this weekend detailed the failure of the Boy Scouts organizations in the U.S. and Canada to stop a pedophile in their midst. Rick Turley molested 15 preteen boys over 20 years, including one whom he kidnapped in a stolen plane.

“Scouting officials on both sides of the border not only failed to stop him, but sometimes helped cover his tracks, according to confidential Scouting records, court files and interviews with victims, families and Scout leaders,” the Times says.

Turley wormed his way into the trust of parents and children and was never stopped in part because the organization didn’t then have mechanisms such as background checks years ago as it does now; but also because a blind eye was turned to what he was doing. For example, Turley admitted to molesting three boys in 1979 but BSA officials did not call the police. Turley went to Canada where he “continued his abuses for at least a decade.”

Turley was finally arrested in 1995 when he told a girlfriend he was sexually attracted to children and a sex crimes investigator contacted former Scouts, the Times says.

“Turley is one of more than 5,000 suspected child molesters named in confidential files kept by the Boy Scouts of America,” the Times says. “The documents — called the ‘perversion files’ by the organization — include unsubstantiated tips as well as admissions of guilt.”